Gala planned to help fund Community Foundation

MORGAN CITY, La. — A Jazz and Dinner Gala to support the St. Mary Parish Community Foundation in its endeavors to fund St. Mary Parish art education, among other community needs, will be held Oct. 20.

The gala will be held at Nico Bella in Morgan City. It begins with Sunset on the River with Champagne followed by a four-course dinner featuring Veal Marsala. A silent auction of art and jewelry will be held. Cocktail attire is required, and tickets are $125 per person. A portion of the ticket cost is tax deductible.

The St. Mary Parish Foundation assists community organizations, helps schools and promotes philanthropy in St. Mary Parish, according to board member Jennifer Morice.

In November 2008, the St. Mary Parish Foundation, an official affiliate of Community Foundation of Acadiana, was formally established. The purpose of the St. Mary Parish Foundation is to fund programs which broadly impact St. Mary Parish and to focus on enhancing the quality of life in St. Mary Parish.

As an affiliate, the foundation utilizes the resources, infrastructure and professional management of assets of Community Foundation of Acadiana while utilizing its own board of directors to focus attention on improving the community and growing philanthropy in St. Mary Parish.

At the 2011 gala, the foundation raised $37,880, while the 2012 raffle raised $22,000. Numerous donors have given funds as well so that the local chapter of the foundation could meet its $100,000 goal.

Board member Alice Pecoraro said in order to be part of the regional Community Foundation, St. Mary Community Foundation had to raise $100,000 to put in an endowment. That money is added to the Community Foundation funds and starts drawing interest.

“We have reached our $100,000 amount. The reason for us having to do this is so that we can start giving money from the interest earned to organizations without having to rely on another fund raiser,” Pecoraro said.

The rate of return, she said, is going to be higher because it’s being mixed with other local foundations’ money.

“All of the money, every bit of the money, the interest and anything else, is all for St. Mary Parish. It’s like it’s in a separate account in a big bank,” Pecoraro said. “The larger we grow the endowment, the larger it’ll get and the more we’ll have to give away,” she added.

In the last year, the foundation was able to give $12,000.

The program gave $10,000 supporting five public school arts programs at Patterson High School, St. Mary Parish Schools Talented Arts Program at Berwick Junior High, Centerville High School Survey of the Arts Program; Patterson Junior High School; and Morgan City High School Tiger Band.

Additionally, they made a $2,000 donation to Techeland Arts Council to purchase microphones for a production earlier this year.

Community Foundation of Acadiana, the parent organization of the local chapter, is a philanthropic organization benefiting the region, with a particular focus on the parishes of Acadia, Evangeline, Iberia, Lafayette, St. Landry, St. Mary, St. Martin and Vermilion. The foundation’s core purpose is to connect all generous people to the causes they care about. In 2012, Community Foundation of Acadiana was recognized among the Top 100 community foundations in the country as the third most active grant maker, 36th most gifts per capita and 97th most activity. Additional milestones include more than $110 million in cumulative gifts and $58 million in cumulative grants. Learn more at www.cfacadiana.org.